Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus configured to convey a sheet and a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus including the same.
Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, there has been known a sheet processing apparatus configured to align a plurality of sheets on which images have been formed and to perform a post-processing operation such as a binding process on the plurality of sheets. For instance, a sheet processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-219399 is configured to stack and align sheets on which images have been formed on a processing tray, to perform a post-processing operation on the sheets to form a sheet bundle, and to push a rear edge of the sheet bundle by a bundle discharge member to discharge to a stacking tray.
Here, the bundle discharge member is attached to a discharge belt and is configured to move along with a travel of the discharge belt. Therefore, the bundle discharge member needs to be movably provided in a body with the discharge belt. Then, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-341157 has proposed a technology of providing the discharge belt with a support projection, of setting the discharge belt on a molding die, and of injection-molding the bundle discharge member on the support projection.
However, the bundle discharge member is often formed into an asymmetrical shape in a sheet conveying direction centering on the support projection such the bundle discharge member can readily push out the sheet bundle. Due to that, it is necessary to form a shape of the molding die into the asymmetrical shape centering on the support projection. Then, if the molding die is formed into the asymmetrical shape, there is a possibility that a flow rate balance of resin becomes inhomogeneous before and after the support projection when the resin is injected into the molding die. Because the support projection is held in a free condition within the molding die, the support projection is deformed so as to incline in an either direction before and after the support projection if the flow rate balance of the resin collapses before and after the support projection. Thereby, if the discharge belt is taken out of the molding die after completing the injection molding, the bundle discharge member is inclined either into a front or rear part of the bundle discharge member and a posture of the bundle discharge member is destabilized. As a result, a posture of a sheet bundle discharged by the bundle discharge member is destabilized, possibly causing conveying failure.